Research Report: Multiple Case Study Comparison of High School and University Students’ Perceptions of Motivational Factors in Classes with Foreign and Local English Teachers

　　Motivation is one of the major forces in language learning. Teachers’ support, or even more the way students perceive this support is an important factor for increasing Self-Determined motivation and fulfillment of their three basic psychological needs: autonomy, competence and relatedness. Local (LTEs) and foreign teachers of English (FTEs) in Japan are commonly generalized and categorized into two separate groups, and perceived quite differently in the classroom. The present research report reveals that foreign and local teachers’ support of the basic psychological needs is perceived less fulfilling by students of older grades. The drop in satisfaction between younger and older students is bigger for FTEs than for LTEs. Another finding shows that students of different proficiency levels regard their local teachers of English differently. High level students expressed less satisfaction with the competence need support from LTEs, and low level students found them less intrinsically motivating

Formation of Professional Motivation among Japanese Female Business Major Undergraduate Students through English Language Instruction

This action research study was carried out in an all-female private women’s university in Tokyo, Japan, during two semesters in the 2019 academic year. The results of the study demonstrate that by creating situations of authentic professional nature, and involving students in a professionally meaningful communication, it is possible to achieve positive changes in professional value-based motivation and attitude to study English

Students\u27Perception of Native English-Speaking Teachers and Japanese Teachers of English : The Effect on Students\u27Self-Efficacy and Emotional State

The Project for Promotion of Global Human Resource Development is a Japanese government funded project started in 2012 which aims to foster human resources in Japanese high schools and universities who can enhance unprepared discourse instructions in the classroom and contribute positively to the globalization and internalization of young Japanese people. Native English-speaking teachers (NESTs) are employed throughout Japan on almost all academic levels. It has been long believed by default that NESTs are preferable teaching models for second language learning, for numerous reasons, at the same time their direct influence on self-efficacy and emotional state of students in Japan’s higher education has not been fully researched or documented. I have conducted a study about students’ perception of their native English-speaking and Japanese teachers of English (JTEs). Based on the social cognitive theory, the study focused on students’ self-efficacy as a major factor in the learning motivation and attempted to answer following questions: “What are the advantages and disadvantages of native NESTs and JTEs for Japanese high school students?” and “Who do the students feel the most comfortable speaking English with?” This study showed the overall preferences for teachers and the level of stress or comfort among students. In the present article I will discuss the students’ preferences in their English instructors and the reasons for such preferences. The findings indicated that 55% of students who answered the questionnaire felt more comfortable with Japanese teachers of English, the most popular reasons for the preference were an ability to talk to the teachers in Japanese and lack of self-confidence in using only English. One third of the respondents prefer native English-speaking teachers of English. Among the most popular reasons were personal interest in the English language, teachers’ language authenticity, clear pronunciation and the students’ self-realization of the English language mastery process.Section 3: Guest Articl

Comparing Sources of Interest of High and Low Proficiency Level College Students in Japan in Classes with Native English-Speaking Teachers and Japanese English Teachers

This article is part of a long-term study investigating Japanese university student perceptions of Native English-Speaking Teachers (NESTs) and Japanese Teachers of English (JTEs) and how these perceptions affect learner motivation. According to the quantitative results of the study, High Proficiency Level Students (HLS) and Low Proficiency Level Students (LLS) do not differ significantly in their perceptions of NESTs. In contrast, LLS have noticeably lower perceptions of JTEs compared to NESTs. For the qualitative part of the study we focused on interest, a major factor of learning motivation. As a result, the main source of interest for HLS is a positive attitude toward the global community of English speakers. This interest is a major contributor to the integrative orientation in learning motivation. LLS’interest is based on the enjoyment of learning, which contributes to their intrinsic motivation. Both integrative orientation and intrinsic motivation are very important factors of language learning. While it is not always easy for educators to influence learners’ integrative orientation, intrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is considered by many as transitory and can be induced by the learning environment. Considering such discrepancies between HLS and LLS interest sources and motivations, educators, especially JTEs, should focus on developing new techniques that enhance intrinsic motivation.Section 3: Guest Articl

Directed Motivational Currents and Their Triggers in Formal English Learning Educational Settings in Japan

The purpose of this study is to describe the nature of Directed Motivational Currents (DMC) experience among Japanese learners of English, and to identify long-term motivational barriers college students studying English compulsorily have. The most significant findings of this study reveal the proportion of respondents who reported experiencing DMC periods of motivation while learning English, the time of the experience and most common triggers. This study demonstrates that in Japanese educational settings, external factors and outcome-led goals play a dominant role to maintain English learning perseverance in students. One of the reasons may be that the Japanese college students are not always intimately connected to their self-concordant goals and to an individual core sense of self. Project-based learning is proposed as the means the teachers in Japan can use to help students overcome these barriers and facilitate a long-term motivation in English language learning in tertiary settings

Self-Determined English Learning Motivation and Value System of Japanese Female College Students

This study was conducted in Showa Women’s University among freshmen, sophomore, and junior students from the Department of Business Design at the end of the spring semester 2018 (N＝378) and aimed at assessing the students’ levels of self-determined motivation and need satisfaction in English language classroom. The results of this study showed that there is a direct link between autonomous motivation and the students’ healthier well-being (psychological needs support). The satisfaction of the need for competence had the greatest positive effect on the students’ self-determined motivation, which suggests that probably in Japanese university settings, female business major students’ Achievement values are dominant. At the same time, sophomore students in this study demonstrated bigger frustration of their needs support in classes with English teachers, than freshmen did. Based on that, it seems appropriate to seek to design a pedagogical program that would develop values of Benevolence, Conformity, Self-direction and Stimulation, and facilitate professional motivation to learn English among Japanese female business major students